righteousness of God and his truth, was apparent therein yea, after that discourse, and all these large promises which Chrift gave his difciples in that xvith of John, we find all is fhut up with that, The hour is coming, and now is, that ye foall be fcattered. 2. What ftrange providences did tryft the church in the wildernefs, fometimes brought back to the Red-fea, tried with hunger and nakednefs, confumed with various ftrokes, and many years wandering, until most of that generation, who came out of Egypt, filled their graves in the journey, and yet this was after most eminent confir mations, and as clear figns of God's prefence as ever a people had. 3. We find a public reformation moft zealously profecuted by Fofias, which looked like the renewed efpoufals of that land with God, by a folemn covenant, yet quickly af ter, night came on that land, with a long captivity, and Fofas, did fall by the fword. 4. Was there not a bright funblink, and flourishing plantation of the gospel in Judea, a little before the defolation of that land by the Romans; yea, we will find it clear from the word, that times of much light, and reformation, do much fooner ripen for a stroke, than any other times. 5. It is very manifeft, that particular churches have their day, where the gospel hath its appointed work, and their ftroke at laft may reach the length of removing the candlestick; I truely think, that fad inftance of Bohemia's cafe may have this obfervable in it, that it had longer day, and enjoyment of light, even from the times of John Hufs, and Jerom of Prague, which was near an hundred years, before there was any day-break on other parts, fo that we would confider, if their night did come foon on, that their day was alío much longer; yea, the stroke might tryst with the ebb of the tide, when their harvest was much gathered in, under fo long a continuance of the gospel, tho' I dare not think, the Lord's work is utterly extinct there, but that Bohemia's dead and withered root hath life yet in it, and fhall once again bud forth.

4. Is it not ufually feen, when judgment cometh on a land, that the godly get the first stroke? but let us alfo con

fider this in the word, where it is clear, 1. That judgment muft begin at the houfe of God, and the green tree, and that the church's trouble and perfecution is a forerunner of ven-` geance on her adverfaries, do we not find there is a cup of the judgment of God? And O! the laft is of a strong compofition, for the wine is red and mixed, and the dreg very thick, which is referved for the troublers of the church, and for fuch who are at eafe in a day of her grief, and truely they have the advantage that drink first, Bleft are they whom thou chasteneft, &c. that they may reft in the day of their adverfity, until the pit be digged for the wicked. Yea, Rev. iii. to. we find keeping of the word of patience, which doth import fuffering to the church, goeth before fome more univerfal ftroke, and in that day proveth the fafety, and protection of the people of God. 2. It is alfo clear, that men may be raifed up of the Lord, and followed with fuccefs, when he hath them for a rod to his church, but that at laft, Abur the rod of my wrath will I caft in the fire, faith the Lord, it is truely an evidence of great wrath upon a party to be made the rod, and executioners of judgment upon the people of God, for they fhall pay for it, by fome fadder stroke than any trouble or fuffering whereof they have been inftruments.

5.That profperity and fuccefs: fhould follow fometimes the worst of men in an evil courfe, and caufe fuch a concurrence, and feries of providence, as feemeth to fmile on them, even to the bringing of their finful devices to pafs, while the people of God have been made to fall in a juft quarrel before their adverfary, would feem an astonishing providence, but let us lay it fore-against the word, and there we will fee. 1. That there is a profperity which tendeth to deftruction, Prov. i. 32. the tabernacles of the robbers profper, Job xii. 6. and they that provoke God are fecure, into whofe hands he bringeth abundantly, but they do not fee that wickedness is its own punishment, and how it is a dreadful stroke to thrive in an ill courfe. Was not the church fhaken with fuch a providence, Mal. i5. Yea, tempted to call the proud happy, but in ver. 18. they were taught from further

VOL. I.

U

ཝཱ

obfervation, to difcern and put a difference between the righteous and the wicked. 2. Do we not find that even the figns and predictions of falfe prophets, in favours of a finful way may come to pafs, Deut. xiii. 1, 2. whereof the church is thereof warned, and God's intent in the fame cleared, that it is for the trial of his people, whether they will love and fear the Lord, and cleave to his way, when providence would feem to shine on a crooked path. 3. Did noť fuccefs for a time attend Abfalom? Ifrael as one man went after him, yea, the friends and counfellors of David; a fair wind did also favour Haman in his effay to ruin the church. Jeremiah is almost shaken with this, yea they have taken root, yea, they grow and bring forth fruit, but is not this at last usually found an ominous weathergal before a storm? though the brutish man knoweth not, nor fools lay it to heart, for what the wicked doth oft fpring and flourish; I would add Ifrael's falling before Benjamin, it was an astonishing like providence; and Habakkuk was put to a ftand with fuch a thing, why the Lord looked on, while the wicked devoured the righteous; yea, Fofbua was to cry out in an amazement, O Lord, what shall I fay, when Ifrael turneth their back before their enemies? but we have alfo the Lord's intent therein witnessed by his word, that this is to humble and prove his people, that he may do them good in the latter end, and thus he beateth them off from all carnal grounds of confidence, her wounded them to a cure, that by bringing them low, he may raise and fit them for a further mercy.

6. What great difappointments hath the church met with, when outward grounds of confidence, and ordinary means have been moft promifing, as it is a thing moft true, fo it may feem strange at the first look, but let us bring it to the word, and the cafe will be there anfwered, Deut. xxxii. Why should one chafe a thousand, but because their rock bath fold them, and therefore their ftrength is gone with the Lord's departing from them, for when a time of judgment is come, even the mighty then find not their hands, counfel faileth to the ancient, ordinary means bring not forth their wonted ef

嘴

fects, which Salomon fheweth, and after-ages have oft feen, The race is not ever to the fwift, nor the battle to the ftrong. It is also clear from the word, how threatening a condition it is, for the people of God to be much carried out after means, or lifted up therewith, Ifa. xxx. they will ride on horses, and this fhall be their punishment. But on the other hand, the Lord's way, in bringing forth his greatest works, hath not been by might and power, but oft by means most improbable and unexpected.

7. The long continuance of a heavy afflicting rod on the church, without the appearance of an out-gate, or any return to much wrestling and prayer on that account, may feem a ftrange ftep in God's way with his people, but the word will answer us in fuch a cafe, where it is clear, 1. That there are no bounds in the Scripture fet to the continuance of a trial, it doth not tell how long a fharp ftorm may lie on, either as to the church, or any particular Chriftian; for it is a piece of the Lord's fecret counfel, but not of that which is revealed; it is enough that we know from it, that men cannot make the church's fuffering longer than God's time. 2. It was a long term, that of Ifrael's trial in Egypt, and after, under the captivity, three hundred and ninety days must the church lie on her left fide. O! how many a fad day, and wearisome night was there in that word, Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and city Jerufalem. 3. Have not the faints, under a long trouble, been almost the length of blafphemy in their complaints, Ifa. xl. 27. My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment paft over from my God. Daniel, how preffing with the Lord was he, that he would hearken, and do, and not defer, and yet the return cometh not, until the first year of Cyrus: yea, that cry of the altar, How long, doth it not even get a dilatory anfwer? For thus the Lord doth oft interpofe his long-suffering for fome time, betwixt his people and avenging of them. 4. It is alfo clear, that there are many prayers before the throne, the return is fufpended, and an answer to Chriftians in their particular, until that time when God fhall build up Zion, and then the

.

prayer of the deftitute fhall be remembered, even as to Christian's private enlargement, when the church shall be raifed up. 5. We know the church's enemies must have time to ripen, and it is not a storm of a few days, that will purge away the filth of the daughter of Zion, too foon leting out of a fore may cause it undercut, and gather new matter; and truely, the word can refolve us in this, that one minute fooner than God's time, would not be his people's mercy.

8. It is oft feen when there is fome remarkable work of God on foot in a land, and fome great out-pouring of the Spirit, how Satan fetteth up fome ufual counterfeit thereof, and bringeth forth fomething of his work in fuch a time with a very strange refemblance of the fame; thus, with the preaching of the freedom of grace, and a clear discovery of that truth, did Libertinifm under a very fpecious pretext, fpring up. Thus we find the Anabaptift, and Antinomian party fet up in Germany, to run down a church-reformation under the fhew of a more pure and fpiritual way; and of late did not Familifm in England, under the pretext of a more fpiritual difpenfation, caft off the very letter of the Scripture, turning it over in an allegory, and in behalf of the liberty of prophecying, cry down a standing ministry; but though this may seem strange, yet the Scripture is very clear concerning it: 1. That even Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, and in no fhape proveth more dan gerous to the church. 2. That the moft dreadful errors, and a falfe way, will oft come near to the choiceft exercises of the faints, and have fuch a refemblance to the fame, that if it were poffible, the very elect fhould be deceived. 3. Was there not a Simon Magus, with falfe miracles, fet up over against the apostles, and when the time of the Meffiah's drew near, did not then a Theudas, and Judas of Galilee, break forth to amufe the people? We find alfo an altar from Damafcus fet up, befide that which was fhewed to Mofes the fervant of the Lord in the mount; yea, when Mofes and Aaron were giving Pharoah a fign, and did fhew forth the